Davide Bonu and urban fermentation: create a new concept of pizza in Cagliari | Olianas

In the heart of Cagliari, a story of friendship, passion, and dedication has been rising for several years now—just like the breads and pizzas coming out of the ovens at Impasto. We visited Davide Bonu and asked him to share how food can become a vehicle for connection, innovation, and rediscovery of local heritage.

Davide is one of the five founding partners and embodies the spirit of a gastronomic movement that is redefining the Sardinian culinary landscape—a movement deeply rooted in the local territory but with a forward-looking vision.

The origin of Impasto is a tale that weaves together personal and professional journeys, a blend of experiences that, like the ingredients of a good loaf of bread, have come together to create something unique. “We were five friends who decided to ruin our friendship together,” Davide jokes, but behind the quip lies a deeper and more complex truth: entrepreneurship in the food & beverage sector is an adventure that requires not only technical skills but also a strong foundation of mutual trust and understanding. “The great thing is that each of us has our own area of expertise,” he adds, highlighting how their diverse backgrounds and skills have been the key to creating a multifaceted business.

Before we began chatting, as usual, we asked what wine he had offered us. He stayed on the island, with a Cannonau, though he pointed out that it's not the grape variety itself that holds value, but the land. “I love products that express themselves best in a particular place. I’ve never believed in zero-kilometre food if it results in poor-quality products, but I’ve always believed in the power of goodness that a specific territory can generate. I say Cannonau because it’s symbolic and we’re talking about Sardinia, but I’d offer anything that best expresses its origin.”

Davide’s journey toward baking reflects a new generation of professionals in the sector: he began as an architecture student, moved into bars in Cagliari, and then into kitchens as a cook. Cucina.eat was his first real experience managing a menu, and it’s there he grasped the evolution of dining towards a 360° approach, where everything—from bread to pasta—is made in-house. “In the restaurant, we really started making everything from A to Z,” Davide recalls, emphasizing how this trend reflects a broader desire for quality control and connection to the product—a return to the roots that paradoxically propels culinary innovation forward.

What makes the story of Impasto particularly meaningful is how it intertwines with the social and culinary fabric of Cagliari. Davide recalls the aroma of bread from the historic bakeries of San Benedetto, a scent that shaped his vision and approach to the craft. “You’d walk in and be enveloped in this intense smell of bread that stayed with you all day,” he recounts, underlining how the roots of his passion lie in the fertile ground of local tradition. This memory is not just a personal recollection—it becomes the cornerstone of a business philosophy aimed at recreating and renewing those sensations for a new generation of customers.

This deep connection to the territory isn’t limited to nostalgia but translates into a practical approach to business. Collaborations with local producers—“friends from the San Benedetto Market,” as he calls them—aren’t just commercial choices but a philosophy that permeates every aspect of the business. Davide has created a menu that celebrates the authentic flavors of Sardinia, incorporating unique products like Casizolu, a stretched-curd cheese typical of Montiferru, or goat blue cheese that offers a local alternative to better-known varieties. Ricotta mustia, with its smoky flavor, also features in innovative dishes. Meat products are just as important, with purpuzza, a fresh sausage from the Nuoro area, and cured sausage adding authenticity to Davide’s creations.

Davide’s approach to pizza is immediately evident from the opening lines of his pizza menu: “already sliced, high and crunchy crust but soft inside, designed to do justice to the territory.” It’s a statement of intent—his personal reinterpretation of tradition, attention to service and the customer experience, and respect for raw ingredients and their place of origin, whether Sardinia or any other Italian region, always with an eye on “good kilometres” rather than just short ones.

The seasons set the rhythm of the kitchen. So in this autumn period, for example, pizzas are enriched with pumpkin, mushrooms, or artichokes. It’s an example of how local talent can be enhanced and integrated into a successful entrepreneurial project, creating a virtuous cycle that benefits the entire community. Through these choices, Impasto not only offers a unique gastronomic experience but also supports the local economy and preserves Sardinia’s culinary traditions, reinterpreting them for a contemporary audience.

Sustainability—a term often overused in the industry and at times reduced to a marketing tool—takes on a broader meaning at Impasto. It’s not just about eco-friendly choices but a holistic vision that includes the economic sustainability of the project and the well-being of the team. “The financial sustainability of the project sometimes has to come first,” says Davide, stressing the importance of a pragmatic approach that ensures the company’s longevity. “Because if all of this doesn’t stand for at least 10 years, then there’s no point in it existing,” he adds, highlighting a long-term vision that goes beyond immediate success.

This balance between ideals and practicality is also reflected in the choice of raw ingredients—a daily challenge that Davide faces with a creative and conscious mindset: “The focus is compromise: if you use low-quality ingredients, the customer, luckily, will notice—and most importantly, it goes against the principles we set from day one in this place.” This statement reveals a deep understanding of today’s market, where consumers are increasingly informed and discerning, as well as a commitment to staying true to the company’s founding values.

Impasto’s philosophy embraces an educational approach—both internally with staff and externally with customers. Organizing tastings and sharing experiences with other businesses are examples of how Davide and his partners are helping create an informed and passionate gastronomic community. “One of the nicest things we do here during the off-season is go visit other places with the staff to learn,” Davide explains, showing how skill enrichment and knowledge exchange are key pillars of their business vision.

The well-being of employees is a cornerstone of Impasto’s sustainability, manifested through ongoing training, a culture of knowledge sharing, and a positive work environment. This holistic approach—including work-life balance and fair pay—is not just an ethical commitment, but a business strategy designed to ensure high-quality service and long-term success.

In an era where fine dining often dominates food conversations—overshadowing other forms of dining—Impasto represents a return to a more accessible dimension. It’s not a rejection of haute cuisine—Davide speaks enthusiastically of his experiences in Michelin-starred restaurants—but rather a pursuit of “places even closer to simplicity and everyday life.” This pursuit translates into an approach that values every aspect of the dining experience, from food quality to the context in which it’s enjoyed.

This authenticity is also reflected in how Impasto connects with the local community. Creating a meeting point, a neighborhood hub in the Marina district, is not just a business strategy but a way to anchor the project within the social fabric of the city—fostering relationships that go beyond simple transactions.

Impasto’s approach to wine mirrors this same philosophy of territorial connection. Davide speaks passionately about “telling the story of a place” through wine, mentioning various expressions of Cannonau and the importance of introducing customers to local producers. This attention to the story behind each bottle not only enriches the customer experience but also helps educate and build a more conscious wine culture.

The story of Davide Bonu and Impasto is an example of how passion, expertise, and strong local roots can come together to create a successful business in the gastronomic world. It’s a narrative about culinary awareness, the value of local talent, and an approach to hospitality that looks to the future without losing sight of its origins.

“I love wine because it shares many parallels with cooking—it gives you plenty of inspiration to talk about people and places,” says Davide, summing up in a single sentence the philosophy that underpins every aspect of Impasto: the belief that food and wine are vehicles for storytelling, for connecting people, and for celebrating places.

And if we asked him to recommend somewhere to eat? Davide names several places, starting with a recent experience at a restaurant we’ve also featured in Vite: Fradis Minoris. “Stara’s idea of sustainability,” he says, “is truly valuable, and at the start of summer, we even went there with the staff to exchange ideas, talk, and collaborate.” He also mentions Comus, a small shop in the Castello area of Cagliari, and Sabores in the Marina district—not only for their product quality but for their strong engagement with the local territory: true centers of excellence for everyone.

In a gastronomic world often dominated by fleeting trends and passing fads, Impasto stands as a beacon of authenticity, showing that the true yeast of success lies in passion, purpose, and connection with the community. The story of Davide and his partners reminds us that the essence of hospitality isn’t just in the food we serve—but in the connections we create, the stories we tell, and the way we enrich the lives of those around us.